1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a processor architecture and method which allows formation of enhanced, high bandwidth video signals from low bandwidth processing components.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known to fuse or merge video imagery from multiple sources such that the resultant image has improved information content relative to any one of the individual video images as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,416 of Richard D. Tinkler, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The sensors generating the video imagery are typically responsive to different types of spectral content in the scene being scanned, such as visible, infra-red, and the like. This permits real-time high pixel rate operation with hardware implementation of moderate cost and complexity. Image enhancement by frequency content specification is another advantage of the above prior art approach. The flexibility permits application to many different video formats and line rates. Though the above described system and method have operated well for their intended purpose, operation is presently economically available with data rates up to about 16 MHz. Information data rates which far exceed 16 MHz are contemplated, such as 60 MHZ and higher and data rates in the vicinity of at least 60 MHz must have the ability to be processed in the present. Such data rates cannot be handled by the prior art systems since the prior art systems contemplate a single data path which is incapable of proper operation at the newly required increased data rates. The only way to handle data along a single path with increasing data rates is to provide hardware capable of accommodating such increased data rates. Unfortunately, the contemplated increases in data rates far exceed the presently expected increase in data handling capability of the hardware. It follows that an alternate approach is required to handle the higher data rates now contemplated.